Fountain-pen.



H. GRASS.` FOUNTAIN PEN.

Patented Nov. 20,1900.,

l'zzvenwrv wiTnn dTaTns lFaTnivT Tricem HENRY GRASS, OF FLWERDALE, VICTORIA.

FOUNTAIN-PEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,357, dated November 20, 1900. Application led September 27, 1900- Serial No. 31,293. (No model.)

To all whom t nmty concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY GRASS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Flowerdale, near Broadford, in the colony of Victoria, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fountain-Pens; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art. to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide improvements in fountain-pens, including devices for feeding ink to nibs.

Among the defects of many existing fountain-pens is that the iiow of ink too often becomes scanty, and it is not possible with them to make the same heavy ink-charged strokes upon paper which can be made with an ordinary nib supplied by dipping into any ordinary ink-well. In many fountain-pens, moreover, the ink is at times apt to accumulate and drop from the pen, so as to make blots. YVhile the above-named scantiness is not a bar tothe use of the ordinary fountain-peu so long it does not get out of order, yet the supply of ink to the nib being so small this feature detracts from the comfortable use of such pens in many hands. These defects are preventable by the use of my invention, which enables the writer to produce bold heavy writing, to use any nib (of suitable size) he pleases, and to change the nib (without difficulty or danger of damaging the pen) when it is no longer satisfactory. To secure these advantages,Iattach to the pen-handle a movable attachment, which I term a f wad-cup, and to this is supplied a wad and ink, as hereinafter set forth, and I also provide the handle with an ink-reservoir, an ink-feed cup, and other features hereinafter explained. By having` the wad-cup longitudinally movable the same can be adjusted more or less forward relatively to the nib-point, so as to increase or decrease the freedom of the flow of ink to the said point, and the wad can be quickly changed and adjusted in position to a nicety without removing the nib.

In order now to further explain my invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which a pen containing' the same is exhibited.

In Figures l to 3 the pen-point and adjacent parts are shown, and in Fig. 4 the other end. Fig. lis a longitudinal central section through the device, showing the end for holding the pen-point. Fig. 2is a plan of the underside of the device. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the top, and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central section similar to Fig. l, but showing the opposite end.

a is a hollow holder forming an ink-reser- `voir t, permanently closed at the base, except for au opening through which passes an inkfeed tube j), the exit of which is marked (l. The base 7i: has a slit or other known means for the reception of the back end of a nib b; but this slit or means does not communicate with the interiori of holder a. The upper end of tube j) is enlarged and forms an inkfeed cup e, which is situated at the head of the holder a. Beneath the nib l) and forming with it and the base 7s a 'closed chamber fr is a plaie or wad-cup f, which preferably is curved,as shown, and has wings,as lr/,which tit above the nib-sides. Into this chamber,in which is the exit (Z, Iplace a piece of' sponge or material s, capable of absorbing ink and of allowing the same to be drawn off in the action of writing. This piece of material I call a wad,7 and in Fig. el. a spare one s (ready for future use) is illustrated inside the movable cap Z,which lits or screws on the head of holder a. The cap which protects the nib 'when the latter is not in use is not shown,

but will be well understood, and it forms no part of my invention. y z To enable the wad-chamber to be opened to allow of the wad being removed or attended to, I make the cup f (or base of that chamber) capable of sliding forward, the cup having integral therewith a strip h at its upper end and at the upper end of the strip a band t', encircling holder a and adapted to slide to and fro below the normal position shown in the drawings. To hold the wad in place and prevent its shifting through any jolting of the pen, the Wad-cup has several spikes j, usually formed by stamping or bending up part of the material of said cup. O-n these IOO spikes the wad is impaled in proper position, and when the bandi is pushed toward the nib end the cup and wad together move for- Wardclear of the said nib. I do not use a wad so large as to tightly iill the Wad-cup, nor do I make the cup air-tight. In fact, the small apertures in the cup made when forming spikesjl admit air beneficially. The cap Z screws down and its piston fm closes the reservoir t and the ink-cup e simultaneously. When, however, it is unscrewed a little, as seen in Fig. 4, the partst and e are put in communication with one another.

The piston m, which is limited in its upward movement, as by a shoulder n, can be pushed forward and backward (when the cap Zis partly unscrewed) by means of a pushrod o, which projects through the top of cap Z. The piston-base has attached to it also a projecting Wire c, by which the feed-tube p can l be convenient-ly cleaned at will from either Y end and the flow of ink through the same insured.

In using this invention the ink-supply to the wad is intermittent-that is t0 say, a charge of ink is taken into the tube p from time to time, as required by the Writer. To charge tube p, the cap Z must be slightly unscrewed and the pen held with the nib uppermost for a short time. Some ink from reservoir 1f will then enter the cup e and tube p, and the said cup may thus be filled. If on holdingthe nib downward the ink does not run from the exit sufficiently to saturate the Wad s, the piston m may be moved to and fro a few times, and this will force the ink down. By keeping the piston down (thus closing cup e) a further supply of ink in tube p is prevented by the air-pressure beneath from running too rapidly out of the saine into the wad. After a little practice the management of the piston and the holding of the nib uppermost momentarily at intervals is easily effected, so as to feed a larger or smaller amount of ink to the Wad, as required.

The chamber u above piston m in the cap Z is provided for convenience to keep a supply of spare wads in, as in course of time the wad in use becomes charged With solid matter and needs renewal. The wad should be approximately pointed with a broad rear end, into which the exit oZ should slightly project.

I may add that in carrying out my invention it may be modified in minor details Without departing from its scope.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a fountain-pen of the class indicated, the handle having a reservoir with base Zt having a slit or the like therein for the nib, of an ink-feed tube p passing partly through said base and having-its exit near the nib, the other end ot' said tube having an ink-feed cup e, and the said reservoir and tube having a screw-cap Z with a movable piston m, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a fountain-pen of the class indicated, the combination with the handle having a reservoir, base, ink-feed tube withexit near the nib, and screw-cap as set forth, of a longitudinallymovable and adjustable Wad-cup, and a wad, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. ln afountain-pen of the class indicated, the combination with the ink-feed tube having its exit in a chamber under the nib, of the wad s, the Wad-cupf having spikesj on which said wad is impaled, and a strip h extending from the said cup to a band 7l encircling and adapted to slide on the pen-handle, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a fountain-pen of the class indicated, the combination with the handle having a reservoir with ink-feed tube and ink-feed cup as set forth, of a screw-cap having a movable piston limited in its upward movement, and a push-rod, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a fountain-pen of the class indicated having an ink-feed tube and ink-feed cup, a screw-cap having a piston limited in its upward movement, a push-rod, and a projecting Wire for cleaning the ink-feed tube, all in combination substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a fountain-pen of the class indicated having an ink-feed tube and ink-feed cup, a screw-cap having a piston limited in its upward movement, a push-rod, a projecting wire for cleaning the ink-feed tube, and a spare wad-chamber above the said piston, all in combination substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY GRASS.

Witnesses:

G. G. TURRI, W. H. CUBLEY.

Icor 

